Oil cooler



:March 17, 1936. .1. R. HOLMES 2,034,235

OIL COOLER Filed April 7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 55-' Il 55 22 y y I :i 45 @b O 52 gmc/www March 17 1936 J. R. HOLMES 2,034,235V I OIL COOLER Filed April 7, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W w w N Max-ch 17, v1936. Y J. R. HOLMES 2,034,235

` OIL COOLER V Filed April '74, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l .2,034,235 on. COOLER John Ralph Holmes, Lockport, N. Y., ass'gnor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a. corporation of Delaware Application April 7, 1934, serial No. 719,611

6 Claims.

This invention relatesto heat exchangers, and particularly to oil coolers which are capable of handling and eiciently cooling large quantities of oil in short periods of time.

To cool large quantities of oil in short periods of time, it'has been considered `necessary to em-` ploy large and bulky pieces of apparatus. It is an object of this invention to provide a relatively small and compact oil cooler which is capable of cooling a large quantity of oil in a short period of time.

Oil coolers of the type under consideration have been so constructed that to remove the cores for inspection, cleaning or repair, it has been necessary to disconnect the pipes by which the oil and the oil cooling fluid were conducted to and from the coolers and sometimes even toy shift the coolers bodily to positions in which access could be obtained to the cores. When coolers are located in limited spaces, as they commonly are in submarine vessels, these operations entail much difficulty and Work. It is another object of this invention to provide an oil cooler from which the core may be quickly vand easily removed, even in a limited space, without moving the cooler or disconnecting the oil or oil cooling fluid pipes which are connected to it.

It is another object of this invention to provide an oil cooling unit which may be used alone, if only a relatively small quantity of oil is to be cooled, or in conjunction with another similar unit or other similar units, if larger quantities of oil are to be cooled.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of this invention, reference is made tol the accompanying specication wherein there are which this invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a more or less diagrammatic side elevation of the oil cooling unit shown in the preceding figures. f

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate, more or less diagrammatically, alternative arrangements of a, plurality of the oil cooling units shown in the preceding figures.

- Figure 8 is an end elevation, with parts broken away and in section, of a modified form of oil cooler.

Figure 9 is a side elevation, with parts broken away and in section, of the oil cooler shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the line Ill-l0 of Figure 8.

Each of the oil cooling units I9 which are illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings includes a casing 20, preferably of cast bronze, which is adapted to rest on and be secured to a suitable foundation, and a cover 2l, preferably of cast bronze, which is adapted to be secured to the casing by studs and nuts -22 and 49.

In the opposite sides of the casing 20, adjacent one end, there are provided coaxially disposed oil outlet openings 23 which communicate with an oil passage 23a. in the casing, and, adjacent the other end,'coaxial1y disposed oil intake openings 24 which communicate with an oil passage 24a in the casing. In the opposite sides of the casing, between the openings 23 and 24, there are provided coaxially disposed openings 25 which communicate with a large recess 25a in the casing between the passages 23a and 24a. It will be noted that theopenings 23 andV 24 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the openings 25 and the base of the casing and that the openings 23, 24 and 25 are surrounded, respectively, by flanges 5|, 52 and 53 to which pipes for -conducting uid into or from the unit I9 may be connected.

To the cover 2 l', in which there are provided oil passages 23h and 2417 which communicate, respectively, with the oil passages 23a and 24a. in the casing 20, there is detachably connected by studs and nuts 26 a core unit 2l which, when the casing and the cover are assembled as shown in the drawings, is located in the recess a. The core unit consists of a pair of oil headers 23e and 24e which communicate, respectively, with the oil passages 23band 24h in the lcover and into Whose walls the studs 26 extend, and a core 28 located between the headers. The core consists of a number of spaced tubes 33 which extend through and are connected to header plates 29 and reinforcing plates 30 and through which oil is adapted to V110W from the header 24e to the header 23c.

The tubes 33 are preferably of the type disclosed in the Feldkamp Patent No. 1,055,324, issued March 11, 1913. The core is connected to the headers 23e and 24e by studs and nuts 3| which extend through the end flanges of the ribbed spacers 32, the ends of the header plates 29 and into the walls of the headers. The spacers 32 serve to prevent endwise pressuresullicient to distort the tubes 33 being applied to them.

In the cover 2|, there is provided a passage 34 which connects the passages 23h and 24h. With the passage 34, there is associated a valve housing 35 in which there is located a valve 36 which is urged to position to close the passage by a coil spring 3l. The valve 36 normally prevents the ilow of oil through the passage 34, but when the pressure in the passage 24h exceeds a predetermined value, because of an obstruction inthe core 23 or for any other reason, the valve opens against the resistance of the spring 31 and oil flows from the passage 24h to the passage 23b through the passage 34.

Between the contacting surfaces ofthe casing and the cover 2| and the contacting surfaces of the cover 2| and the core-unit 21, there is interposed a gasket 33 which prevents oil and water escaping from the oil cooling unit'and the leali-V age of oil into the water passage or water into the oil passages within the oil cooling unit. In the lower surface yof they cover 2|, there are provided two grooves 39 of which each connects the several openings through which one groupof the studs 26 pass and in the upper surface of each of the headers 23c and 24c, there is provided a groove 40 which connects theY several openings for the studs therein. In the lower surface of the cover 2|, there are also provided two grooves 4| of which each connects, and extends beyond the outer oi', the several openings through whichone group of the studs 49 (which extend into the inner walls of thev passages 23a and 24a) pass and' in the upper surface of the inner wall of each of the passages 23a and 24a, there is provided a groove 42 which connects, and extends beyond the outer of, the'several openings for the'studs 49 therein. Into each of the grooves 39 and 4|, there extend from the upper surface of the cover 2| several bores 43.which pass through the gasket 38 into the corresponding grooves 40 and 42. The grooves 39, 40, 4| and 42 and the bores43 constitutea means of detecting and locating any leak in the joints between the water and oil passages in the oil cooling unit since if a leak occurs therein the leaking fluid will enter one of the grooves 39, 40, 4| and 42 and ow therefrom'through thel nearest of the bores 43 to the outer surface of the cover and from the position of the bore 43 in which the fluid appears and the nature of the fluid one can closely locate the position of the leak.

Oil to be cooled may be'conducted into the unit |9 through either or both 'of the openings- 24 and cooled oil may be conducted from the unit through either or both of the openings 23. If it is desired to conduct oil into or from the cooling unit by only rone opening, the opening which is not to be employed should be closed by-a suitable cover plate. Water for cooling the oil passing throughtthe unit may be introduced into the unit through either of the openings 25 and discharged therefrom through the other. To prevent the water by-passing the core during its. passage through the recess 25a, webs 50 are provided on the inner walls of the passages 23a and 24a and on the bottom of the casing 20. To insure a uniform distribution of the water which passes throughthe core, a baille or distributing plate 44 is secured to the core unit 21 on the side adjacent the opening 25 through which water is introduced into the recess 25a.

When an oil cooling unit I9 is operating under normal conditions, oil passes from the oil inlet opening or openings 24 to thevoil outlet opening or openings 23, `through the passage 24a, the passage 24h, the header 24c, the tubes 33, the header 23c, the passage 23h and the passage 23a, asV indicated by Lthe solid arrows in Figure 2. and, during its passage through the tubes 33 is cooled by the water which flows therebetween in its passage from the water inlet opening 25 to the water outlet opening 25, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5. If, because of an obstruction in the core 29 or for any other reason, the resistance to the ow'of oil through the core unit 21 exceeds a predetermined value, the pres- V sure developed in the inlet end of the passage 34 will cause the valve 36 to open and oil will flow from the passage 24h to the passage 23h through the passage 34, as indicated by the dotted arrows in Figure 2.

The unit I9 may be made of relatively small size and yet capable of cooling a. large quantity of oil in a short time. When the nuts 22 and 49 are removed, the cover 2|, together with the core unit 21, may be lifted bodily from the casing 20 for inspection, cleaning lor repair, without moving the casing or disconnecting any of, the oil and water pipes which are connected to it.

It is apparent that each of the umts I9 constitutes a complete oil cooler. However, if one of the units alone has notthe desired 'oil cooling capacity, two or more units maybe used together. When two or more units are to be used together, they may be interconnected so that oil flows through their core units in parallel orin series.

In Figure 6, there are shown three oil cooling units |9a, |9b and |9c so connected that oil flows through their-core units 21, in parallel. In this installation, the three units are arranged so that their water openings 25 are coaxially alined and that their oil inlet openings 24 and their oil outlet openings 23 are, respectively, on the same side of the Water openings 25, with the juxtaposed ilanges 5|, 52 and 53 suitably connected and the free oil outlet opening 23 in the unit |911 and the free oil inlet opening 24 in the unit |9c closed by cover plates 45 and 46con nected, respectively, to the flanges 5| and 52. Oil introduced into the freeoil inlet opening 24 of the unit |9a will flow through the installation as indicated by thearrows, by-passing any core unit 21 in which the resistance to thepassage of oil-exceeds a predetermined value. Water may `be introduced into the installation throughV either of the freel water openings 25 and will flow successively through the several recesses 25a.

In Figure 7, there are shown three oil cooling units |9a, |9b and |9c so connected that oil flows throughtheir core units 21 in series. Inthis installation, the three units are arranged so that their water openings 25 are coaxially alined and that the oil inlet openings 24 and the oil`lnlet openings 23 of the units |9a and |9c are located on the sides of the water openings'25 opposite that on which the corresponding oil openings of the unit |9b are located, with the juxtaposed flanges 5|, 52 and 53 suitably connected, .the free oil outlet opening 23 of the unit |9a and the free oil inlet opening 24 vof the unit |9c closed by cover plates 45 and 45 connected, respectively, with the flanges 5| and 52 and with imperforate flow control plates 41 and 48 interposed, respectively, between the juxtaposed flange 52 of the unit |9a and flange 5| of the unit |9c and between the juxtaposed flange 52 of the unit |9b and flange 5| of the unit |9c. Oil introduced into the free" oil inlet opening 24 of Vthe unit |9a will iiow through the installation as indicated bythe arrows, by-passing any core unit 21 in which the resistance to the passage of oil exceeds a predetermined value.` Water may be introduced into the installation through either of the free water openings 25 and will flow successively through the several recesses 25a.

The oil cooler shown in Figures 8 to 10 of the drawings consists of a cylindrical casing 60, preferably of cast bronze, provided with suitable supporting legs 6I. The casing is closed at one end by an integral head through which extends a cooling Water outlet opening 62 to which a water outlet pipe is adapted to be connected and at the other end by a head 63 which is detachably se` cured thereto by studs and nuts 65 and through which extends a cooling water inlet opening 64 to which a water supply pipe is adapted to be connected. Between the head 63 and the casing 60, there is interposed a baffle or distributing plate 93 which has the same function as the plate 44, hereinbefore referred to.

Within the casing 68, there is provided a core unit 66 which consists of a pair of oil headers 61 and 68 and a core 69 located between the headers. The core unit is supported by iianged cuplike brackets 1|) and 1|, which extend into the interior of the casing through openings in the opposite sides thereof and are secured to the headers 61 and 68 by studs and nuts 12. The

bracket 10 is secured to the casing by the studs and nuts 13 which secure the oil inlet fitting 86 thereto yand the bracket 1| is secured to the casing by the studs and nuts 14 which secure the oil outlet fitting 81 thereto. The oil inlet fitting 86 is suitably designed for connection to an oil supply pipe and is connected with the interior of the oil inlet header 61 by communicating openings 15 and 16 in the bracket 19 and the header. The oil-outlet fitting 81 is suitably designed for connection to an oil discharge pipe and is connected with the interior of the oil outlet header 6,8 by communicating openings 11 and 18 in the bracket 1| and the header.

The core preferably consists of a number of spaced tubes 19 similar to the tubes 33, hereinbefore referred to, through which oil is adapted to flow from the header 61 to the header 68. These tubes extend through and are connected t0 header plates 88 and reinforcing plates 8|. The core is connected to the headers 61 and 68 by studs and nuts 82, which extend through flanges on spacers 83, which have the same function as thespacers 32, hereinbefore referred to, the ends of the header plates 80 and into the walls of the headers. On the spacers 83,

there are provided wings 84 which, in conjunction with the ribs 85 on the interior of the casing 60, prevent water flowing from the water inlet opening 64 to the water outlet opening 62 from bypassing the core 69.

The oil inlet iitting 86 and the oil outlet fitting 81 are connected by a conduit 89 with which there is associated a valve housing 9|) in which there is located a valve 9| which is urged to position to close the conduit by a spring 92. 'Ihe valve 9| normally prevents the passage of oil through the conduit 89, butwhen the pressure in n the oil inlet fitting 86 exceeds a. predetermined value, because of an obstruction in the core 69 or for any other reason, the valve opens against the resistance ,of the spring 92 and oil flows from the inlet fitting 86 to the oil outlet fitting 81 through the conduit 89.

Under normal conditions, oil passes from the oil inlet fitting 86 to the oil outlet fitting 81 through the openings 15 and 16, the header 61 the tubes 19, the header 68 and the openings 18 and 11 and is cooled during its passage through the tubes 19 by the water flowing therebetween in its passage from the water inlet opening 64 of the Water outlet opening 62. If, because of an obstruction in the core 69 or for any other reason, the resistance to the flow of oil through the core unit 66 exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure developed in the inlet end of the conduit 89 will open the valve 9| against the resistance of the spring 92 and the oil will flow from the oil inlet fitting 86 to the oil outlet fitting 81 through the conduit 89.

The oil cooler illustrated in Figures 8 to 10, although compact and of relatively small size, is capable of cooling a large quantity of oil in a short time. To obtain access to the core 69, itis necessary only to remove the head 63 and the baffle or distributing plate 93; and the core unit 66 may be removed from the casing through the opening thus uncovered after the brackets 10 and 1| have been disconnected from the core unit and the casing. f

It will, of course, be understood that although the heat exchangers disclosed therein were designed primarily for use as oil coolers, they may be utilized for cooling or heating other liquids than oils.

I claim: l

1. In a heat exchange unit, a casing a passage y for one fluid which extends through the casing, two passages for another fluid which extend through the casing, and a passage connecting the two second-mentioned passages, one of the first specified and last specified passages including an element which is located in the other and is capable of transmitting heat from the fluid in one to the uid in the other of the first specified and last specified passages.

2. In a heat exchanger, passages for two iiuids, a wall between the two passages consisting of two parts, a\groove in one of the juxtaposed surfaces of the tvvb` parts, and a plurality of spaced passages which extend at an angle to the groove from the outer surface of one of the parts into the groove.

3. In a heat exchanger, a casing, an opening for one fluid extending through a wall of the casing, two openings for another fluid extending through the mentioned Wall of the casing and located symmetrically with respect to the firstmentioned opening, and an opening for the firstmentioned fluid and two openings for the secondmentioned uid extending through a wall of the casing other than that mentioned and arranged in the same positions with respect to each other as the openings' in the first-mentioned Wall.

4. In a heat exchanger, a casing, a cover for the casing, a heat exchange element in the casing, a passage in which the heat exchange element is located extending through the casing and the cover, and a by-pass extending through the cover.

5. In a heat exchanger, a casing, a cover removably secured to the casing, headers connected to the cover and extending into the casing, and a heat exchange element connected to the headers and located in the casing.

6. In a heat exchangenpassages for two fluids, a rwall consisting of two parts between the two passages, openings for securing means in the two parts, a groove in one of the juxtaposed surfaces of the two parts connecting the mentioned openings, and passages extending from the groove to one of the parts. 

